Sample Inspection Apparatus and Sample Inspection Method

Abstract

The present invention provides an inspection apparatus capable of suppressing leak electric current to a specimen and a probe, and thus capable of measuring highly sensitive electrical characteristics, when the specimen is heated by a heater. A specimen heating unit that heats a specimen is configured of: a heater; a grounded metallic shield, which coats the heater as electrically insulated; and an insulation sheet disposed on a side of the metallic shield facing the mounted specimen. Likewise, a probe heating unit is configured of: a heater; a grounded metallic shield, which coats the heater as electrically insulated; and an insulation sheet.

1 . An inspection apparatus, comprising:
 a specimen chamber;   a probe unit provided within the specimen chamber, the probe unit including a specimen stage on which a specimen having a circuit wiring pattern is mounted, and a probe that is brought into contact with the specimen mounted on the specimen stage; and   an electro-optic system that irradiates the specimen with an electron beam,   wherein the specimen stage includes a specimen heating unit that heats the specimen, the specimen heating unit including a heater, a grounded metallic shield, which coats the heater as electrically insulated, and an insulation member disposed on a side of the metallic shield facing the mounted specimen, and   while the specimen mounted on the specimen stage is heated by the specimen heating unit, the probe of the probe unit is brought into contact with the specimen, whereby electrical characteristics of the circuit wiring pattern of the specimen are measured.   
   
   
       2 . The inspection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the probe unit includes a probe heating unit including a heater, a grounded metallic shield, which coats the heater as electrically insulated, and an insulation member disposed on a side of the metallic shield facing the probe, and the probe heating unit heats the probe through the insulation member. 
   
   
       3 . The inspection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the insulation member is an insulation sheet. 
   
   
       4 . The inspection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the insulation member is made of polyimide. 
   
   
       5 . The inspection apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 a Z-sensor that measures the height of the specimen mounted on the specimen stage; and   a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the specimen,   wherein a change in the height of the specimen caused by a change in the temperature of the specimen is canceled by driving the probe with any one of the specimen stage and the probe unit.   
   
   
       6 . The inspection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the electro-optic system scans the specimen with the electron beam, and the intensity of current detected by the probe is outputted in synchronization with the scanning of the electron beam and is displayed in an image form. 
   
   
       7 . The inspection apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the temperature of the specimen heating unit and the temperature of the probe heating unit are monitored, and are controlled so that both of the temperatures are the same as each other. 
   
   
       8 . A sample inspection method, comprising the steps of:
 heating a specimen having a circuit wiring pattern mounted on a specimen stage by transferring heat—generated by a heater provided for the specimen stage—through a grounded metallic shield, which coats the heater as electrically insulated, and through an insulation member disposed on a side of the metallic shield facing the mounted specimen;   bringing a probe into contact with the specimen;   scanning the specimen with an electron beam; and   outputting the intensity of current detected by the probe in synchronization with the scanning of the electron beam, and displaying the intensity of current in an image form.   
   
   
       9 . The sample inspection method according to  claim 8 , wherein the probe is heated by transferring heat—generated by a heater—through a grounded metallic shield, which coats the heater as electrically insulated, and through an insulation member disposed on a side of the metallic shield facing the probe. 
   
   
       10 . The sample inspection method according to  claim 8 , comprising the steps of:
 measuring a temperature and height of the specimen at predetermined sampling intervals;   starting a withdrawal sequence if detecting a rise in the temperature of the specimen caused by self-heating of the specimen; and   driving the probe in a withdrawing direction if the rate of change in the height of the specimen is not less than a preset value, while driving the specimen stage in a withdrawing direction if the rate of change in the height is less than the preset value, thereby canceling a change in the height of the specimen caused by the self-heating of the specimen by movement of any one of the specimen stage and the probe.